Galaxies

Astronomers have measured a distance scale in the universe to unprecedented accuracy, opening the door to better tests of dark energy models than ever before

A new deep-field photo of a “blank spot” in space unveils thousands of previously unseen primordial galaxies

The sun's gravitational pull on dark matter particles may cause seasonal patterns not previously expected

Astronomers may have discovered a moon orbiting an alien planet, but the signal is far from definitive

The Gaia mission's two telescopes are designed to chart one billion stars and help to answer questions about the origins of the Milky Way

X-ray and radio observations offer the best evidence yet that, as long suspected, high-energy particles stream from the heart of our galaxy

Two dwarf galaxies may have smashed together in our Local Group, sparking the nearest "starburst"

NASA’s premier planet-hunting scope turns up 647 possible Earth-sized worlds in the Milky Way

This month Comet ISON will fly by the sun in an encounter that could destroy the object, or elevate it to greatness

Astronomers are discovering distant planets that orbit two-star systems, uncovering bizarre and wondrous worlds unlike anything in our solar system

"Hair" is a term among physicists as a stand-in for any other measure needed to describe a black hole other than its mass, its angular momentum and its electric charge

Although the two bodies have significant differences, researchers point to surprising similarities in their topographical evolution